One Hundred Tears In The Sunset

Chapter Six

*Do dance with thy' in a summer's sky, *

* On the edge's of thee's dreams,*

* Magic holds' fe' wondrous things,*

*Do dance with thee' by a magick midnight nigh'*

*

The maids scurried around her like mice searching for their mouse holes. They held ripples of soft pink fabric in rough dry hands, and small metal pins between their fingers,

"I'm ever so sorry miss! We'll be done in a jiff." A young maid with wide brown eyes spoke quickly and darted behind Teyha,

"Netty you never tightened her pantalettes properly!" The princess felt a tightening of fabric around her waist as her under garments were secured properly,

"I did so!" The other maid huffed and turned her attention back the the pale pink corset that rested over Teyha, "Well someone had better help me tighten these strings! I'm not as strong as I look!" Three of the other maids giggled and went to help,

"Please! Do not tighten them so it is if I can not breath!" Tehya gasped out. Her grey eyes had watched the maids for the last hour with a humour that she hid with ease. They had laughed and joked all through dressing up the princess like old friends. Well I suppose they are friends, she thought silently to her self,

"Is it terribly lovely being a Princess, Miss?" A maid quietly asked as she tucked some fabric into place. Teyha blinked in surprise, the maid was young and very pretty, with black hair curled up into a loose knot, and soft wide green eyes blinking up at her,

"Hush! Don't ask the Princess such a daft question!" A maid snapped, "Forgive her please, Princess.

"No, it is fine. I don't mind daft questions," Teyha chuckled, "I suppose it should be terribly lovely to be a Princess, shouldn't it." Teyha answered with honesty. The other two maids had now stepped around and stared at her,

"It should be? I dare say it must be!" The maid they had called Netty said in shock, "Dances and Balls, and Princes and Dresses! Oh miss I would give my life to be a Princess."

"I would as well!" The black haired maid smiled,

"Not me!" The last girl spoke and shook her ginger braided hair, "I don't think I could stand such fuss!"

"I am not sure how I stand the fuss!" Teyha laughed, "What are your names? I have not seen you before." She frowned,

"Well that's Jenetta but we calls her Netty for short." Smiled the black haired maid, "I'm Rose and..."

"I'm Classia." The ginger maid spoke up with a wicked grin, "We're new here. We came from Todders! It is a school for training young ladies to become good maids!"

"I dare say it worked then, you have done a most splendid job!" The Princess stared into the mirror. Her blond hair had been weaved into a loose knot that surrounded a pair of wide grey eyes. Her skin had been covered in a fine layer of powder that brought out the red in her lips and the dress was perfect. Pale pink silky and dotted with a hundred gems spiralling around in deep folded layers,

"Well you certainly look like a princess!" Rose smiled, "Now we just have to change your gloves and you're ready Miss!" Teyha froze for a moment and pulled away her hand,

"No! I will, I will change them myself later!" The girls pulled back quickly and stared at her in shock, "I have already asked you too much." Teyha muttered,

"It is no bother Princess." Netty went to grab the glove again,

"I said no! Now get out. I wish to ready myself alone," She snapped. The maids nodded together and darted away. She caught the whisper of soft words echoing in the air from outside her door,

"I thought they said the princess was lovely?" It was Netty speaking,

"Yes she was before her Parents were killed." Classia muttered back and the air was filled with silence as they left her alone once again. Teyha frowned, pulling off her gloves carefully. The burn seemed to have swollen and grown at the edges. She wrapped a bandage around it and placed a fresh white glove over the decaying skin.

*****

"You will be late!" Mr Blairs hissed. His beady green eyes had slithered over her as she stepped out into the front gardens,

"I was..."

"Was it the new maids? I shall have words with them!" He grunted,

"No! It was not them! It was me! I did not like my hair. I asked them to change the style." She lied quickly,

"It was still them, they shall learn to be quick"

"Uncle please I..."

"Silence Teyha! He snapped cutting off her words, "Listen to me at the ball tonight you will stay close to Arthur Drumond. No chaperone will attend with you tonight, you are a Princess and to have one will make you look weak! Nothing wrong will happen. I expect you won't wonder away again!"

"Yes Uncle." Arguing would be pointless,

"Your carriage arrives now." He stared at the black carriage that was pulled by a white royal horse. Teyha realised in shock that it was the mare called Gem,

"Uncle perhaps we could get a horse?" She asked carefully seeing if he would lie to her about the stone stable in the woods,

"Perhaps, though I detest horses, which is why I don't own one." Was his reply. He had lied to her. It didn't surprise Teyha. A young man held the reins of the carriage and again in shock she realised it was Brooke. His usual plain shirt had been changed for a formal black suit and a top hat rested on his black hair. A dark round bruise sat on one his cheeks. It had not been there the night before! Where the heavens did he get that? She thought silently. Even from the distance Teyha could see his blue eyes greeting hers. Gem pulled to a stop softly and neighed softly. Her uncle glared at the mare,

"I will see you tomorrow morning then and do not disappoint me for once." He grunted and stepped away. Brooke jumped from the carriage and stared at her in silence. He made no effort to hide the way he stared at her dress but did not meet her grey eyes,

"Princess if you would take a seat please." Brooke's voice was formal and stiff, unlike his blue eyes which still stared at her dress,

"Thank you." She nodded and gently grabbed his outstretched hand, "Do you know how long this journey will take Brooke?" Teyha asked. He turned away and waited until she had settled inside the carriage before answering,

"The trip to centre London is of an hour Princess." He said stiffly, and the slight thud echoed above her as he jumped back up on the horse's man seat,

"Brooke?" She called with a frown but he didn't answer. It was as if last night hadn't happened, as if they were no longer friends. The carriage pulled out of the castle's gates slowly and she watched from the window as they walked into the freedom of outside.

****

"Brooke?" Tehya called again when they were further from the castle. This time after a few minutes the carriage stopped on the sidewalk of a lonely dusty road. She heard a thud, a crunch of shoes on pebbles and then Brooke's blue eyes peered through the window,

"Something is wrong Princess?" He asked softly,

"Well yes, there is something bleddy well wrong!" She cursed loudly.If my uncle were to hear me talk with such manners he would burn me in the fire place,

"Is the journey not too your liking?"

"Brooke what is it? Why are you speaking to me so formal?" Teyha was on the verge of shaking his shoulders, no matter how unladylike it would be,

"I must get you to the ball Princess." He said again softly and turned away,

"How did you get the bruise Mr Heathingdale?" Teyha wasn't sure what stopped him in his tracks, her question or the fact she called him by his second name, but he stopped and looked back finally greeting his eyes with her hers. They stared at each other so long that the Princess could see the small green specks in his eyes mixing with small oceans of perfect sea blue. She felt her cheeks burning, a wave of something living in the pit of her stomach,

"Why do you care?" He whispered gently and she frowned,

"I, I thought we were friends?"

"Yes Teyha but why?" He pressed her, "Why are we friends? How are we friends? I am a stable man and you are a Princess who dances at balls and has everything she ever wishes for."

"You know nothing of what I wish for!" She snapped, her anger finally breaking out, "I thought you understood me to not be as shallow as you are making me sound!" Her gloved hands had fumbled open the carriage door and she jumped down not caring in the slightest for her ball gown. The sun in the sky hid behind a cloud as she stared before him, grey eyes blazing against blushed skin. Golden hair already tumbling from the pins that had fruitlessly held her locks in place, "Do you think I would not swap all this..." She gestured at her dress, "For one last breath with my parents. Do you think I wish to live in a castle alone each day staring out my attic window watching the world fall on by while I stand still? Or that I wish to have an uncle that...that..." Her lips stuttered over her words unable to free them,

"That? That does what Teyha?" Something had awoken in Brooke's eyes. It was a look of alarm. He limped closer to her, "That?" He pressed. But the Princess had already let the anger wash away, she wouldn't tell him. Would never tell anyone. Shame burned in her gut each time she thought of the festering wound on her wrist,

"That, does not care for me." She finished meekly and turned away, "Hurry. I will be late to the ball."

"Teyha..."

"I do not wish to be late. Nothing can go wrong. Please Brooke." She felt his eyes on hers for a moment longer, before he climbed on the carriage once again.

*****

"It is such a splendid display! You will just love the wine they have chosen!"

"Oh I just do love the pink in your dress! It does suit your cheeks most fashionably."

"I hear your Uncle has chosen not to attend tonight with us, is he well?"

"I am just so very sorry about the devastation of your mother and father Princess. I cried my heart when I heard."

"Oh the dancing has began again! I must say I'm rather happy my dance card has been filled. Princess Saria is having to dance with her brother because she never got enough gentlemen."

"I do find that Arthur Drumound quite handsome. You are so very lucky to have his eye on you Princess!"

Teyha grabbed another glass of wine as the servant passed her and, brought it to her lips as quickly as she could without gathering attention. The women surrounding her were older than she was and dressed in fabulous gowns that glittered in the diamond chandeliers. A strong scent of perfume, aftershave and sweat mixed together in the heated air. She saw Arthur making a beeline for her again and this time no hiding could save her. She had danced with him twice already and as much as Teyha hated it, his dancing was most stunning,

"Teyha! It seems we have this dance again." He grinned at her with brown mud-pie eyes. She sighed softly and drained the wine from her glass,

"It is a pleasure, of course." She said as a lady should. He beamed and pulled on her sleeve gently. The burn was becoming a bit of a problem. Dancing around, the men had grabbed her arm by accident and she'd had to pull away in pain countless times saying she'd felt a wave of dizziness. Arthur's rather large hand squeezed down tightly over her arm and she couldn't help gasping and pulling away,

"Teyha? What is it?" He frowned down at her,

"I, I need some air. Please Arthur, if I could?" He nodded and carefully led her to the balcony doors,

"I have seen you behave in such ways with your other dance partners. May I ask if everything is ok?" He asked and closed the huge wooden doors behind him shutting off the loud music,

"Yes I am fine now." She mumbled, standing at the edge gazing down at the city lights of London,

"It is beautiful." He spoke softly behind her,

"It is." She agreed, watching the carriages parked below her. Guests leaving and coming all the time. Lady's gowns glowed in the streets making the whole city seem like a secret paradise for the rich and royal. A summer breeze sang in the air and tickled the Princess's face. She closed her eyes wishing she was somewhere else,

"Very beautiful." Arthur repeated and when she turned, Teyha saw he was looking at her, "I have not known you long Princess but my future seems grey without you inside it." His breath tickled her neck,

"Mr Drumond please I..." He cut her off gently,

"Arthur, Teyha. Please call me Arthur."

"Very well. Arthur I find you a, a most, um, most amazing dancer." She struggled to find her words, "You are a fine man but I, well I do not know what my Uncle has told you, but I am not ready to set my future just yet."

"I understand." He smiled,

"You do?" She blinked in surprise,

"I shall wait for you Princess." He gently brushed a strand of hair from her eyes and ran his fingertip down her cheek. He was a handsome man if a little too old for her, but all she could see instead of his brown eyes were blue oceans which belonged to someone else,

"I do not want you to presume,"

"Princess Teyha? Ah there you are! You're to play for the King Of Spain now!" A servant broke into her words and she closed her eyes in defeat.

Why can life just not be simple?

****

The cold keys rested under her fingertips yet she did not press them. Around her the ballroom stood with a baited breath. The legendary Princess who rode horses with a grace of a Goddess and played the piano like an angel sat before them. They could hardly contain their excitement. Teyha closed her eyes for a moment. She took a breath, she would not do it for the King of Spain, or for the room of people. She would not do it for her Uncle,

"Please can someone open the balcony doors before I play?" She called out into the room. In a hurry three of the double doors were whooshed open. Now Mother and Father will hear from the heavens.

I will play for them.

****

At first Brooke did not hear the piano. He was slumped inside the carriage and bringing a metal flask to his lips. Best not to drink too much. She will need to get home with safety. He let the burn of vodka trail down his throat slowly. Outside the shrill laugh of a drunk lady greeted his ears and, he smiled softly as a man chuckled with her muttering that they must hurry before his wife finds him gone. Yes, it was the same old world as Brooke remembered. Affairs, and secrets, drugs, and games. This whole world was a game where one could fall as quickly as they rose. He swigged from the flask again and then, then he heard it. The music was not of the normal dance type. It was dark and sweet. Soft notes clashing against hard. It filled him inside, filled his emotions. It was slow then fast. It was like nothing he had ever heard. Brooke stepped from the carriage, and slipped through the doors of the dance house. He lowered his hat and stepped into the ballroom. There on a piano looking so small next to the wooden beast was Teyha. Her eyes were closed, and she barely moved but he saw a tear leak from her eye lid. At last, the ice Princess showed an emotion. The whole room was in awe of her, and when the last note rang out silence followed. The Princess stood up and glanced around as they began to clap. She smiled but it was fake, Brooke could see through it. The King of Spain embraced her like a daughter,

"She was amazing!" A lady said to Brooke. He looked up,

"She is." He mumbled and went to walk out the door,

"Brooke Heathingdale?" The lady questioned. He turned back and stared at her. She was tall and wore a deep blue dress that sparkled in diamonds and a thousand gems,

"I'm sorry?" He frowned and she laughed then,

"Oh dear, please pardon me Sir! You do resemble a man I once danced with!" She laughed, "Perhaps I should excuse myself from the wine."

"Perhaps." He said softly and returned back to the carriage.